


The Pecan Palace

by Raynbowz



Series: An Interlude of Time [4]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: M/M, M/M kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 13:41:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/675033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raynbowz/pseuds/Raynbowz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Jothan are separated on a hostile world.  Will the Doctor be able to rescue his companion?  Fourth in a series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Pecan Palace

The Pecan Palace  
A Doctor Who story 

The Doctor and Jothan were ducking and weaving as they ran, trying not to be hit by a beam from one of the energy weapons being fired at them.  At last they reached the TARDIS.  The Time Lord was fighting with the door as aliens were coming close behind.  One of them was aiming straight for the Doctor, but Jothan saw it coming and stepped in between the Doctor and the energy bolt.  The medic couldn’t stop the second bolt, which hit the Time Lord in the calf.  Then the door was open, and the two men almost fell into the TARDIS.  Jothan only managed a step or two before he collapsed on the floor.  He heard the Doctor congratulating himself on their escape; he just lay still as silver sparks passed through his field of vision, and tried hard not to black out.

********  
For a few agonizing seconds the Doctor was certain his companion was dead.  He forgot his own wound and rushed over to the young man, feeling for a pulse.  

Jothan opened his eyes at that point and said weakly, “So we made it.”

“Don’t talk now,” the Doctor commanded.  “Rest.”  He was dismayed to find that Jothan had taken an energy bolt to the chest and was badly injured.  “You hang on a moment; I have to get the coordinates set.”  He hurried to the controls and found a star chart, searching quickly for what he needed.  He punched in the data then told the TARDIS, “It’s up to you now.  You have to get us there.”  He then went back to his fallen companion.  “Jothan?  Can you hear me?” he asked anxiously. 

The medic opened his eyes again, but it took him longer.  “I’m so cold,” he whispered.  “Probably shock.  My med kit is in the bag in my room, but it’s meant for first-aid.  Not sure it . . .”

“Hush,” the Doctor said sternly.  “I’m the Doctor here, remember?”   He was relieved to see Jothan smile.  “There’s no way I can get you to the TARDIS med center by myself without doing you more injury.  I never should have put it that far away . . . but that doesn’t matter now.  We’re heading for the planet Rachinda.  It’s got adequate medical treatment facilities, and they’ll be able to help you.”

Jothan frowned.  “What do you mean, ‘help me’?  You’re hurt . . .”

The Doctor broke in, saying quickly, “The people of Rachinda are telepaths, and they haven’t had contact with aliens yet.  In other words, I can’t go with you.  I’ll mend on my own, but you won’t.”  He took his leather jacket off, spreading it over his friend.  “You need expert attention right away.  Rachinda’s closest, so it’s where we’re headed.”  Jothan was trying to speak; the Time Lord said, “No arguing.  You need help.  I’ll find you once I’m whole again.  Now let me see your IPod a minute.”

Jothan pulled the device out of the pocket of his jeans.  “What do you want it for?” he asked.

The Doctor told him, “I’m placing a homing device in it so I can find you with the TARDIS.  I promise I won’t leave you here any longer than I must, and I wouldn’t be doing this if there were another way.  Can you make it out of the TARIDS on your own?”

Jothan’s voice was a little stronger.  “I’ll have to, won’t I?”

“I could carry you to . . .”

“I can make it.  Just don’t leave me on this rock.  Don’t you dare, Doctor.”

“As soon as I can, I’ll come for you and we’ll leave, the two of us.  That’s a promise, Jothan.”

“Good enough for me.”  Jothan shook off the jacket and got to his feet as the TARDIS stopped moving.   The Doctor supported him a bit as the medic got to the door, then stepped back.  “I promise I’ll come get you,” the Doctor whispered.

Jothan opened the door and stepped out into biting cold and snow with the IPod in hand.  The TARDIS was in a short alleyway and Jothan made it up to the main street.  There was a couple approaching.  The medic literally fell at their feet, saying, “Please help.  I need . . .” The world went black, then . . .

  . . . the world was dazzling white.  Jothan looked around at the surroundings; it seemed recognizable, but he couldn’t remember why.  Suddenly he remembered why it looked familiar—he was in some sort of medical facility.  Someone was coming, and he reached out a hand and grabbed.  

A female voice said, “You’re awake!”, and a pretty face with blonde hair and bright green eyes came close.  “How are you feeling, Jothan?” she asked.

“How did I get here?” he asked the woman.  “And how do you know me?”

“You were brought here from Outpost 17 after your suicide attempt.  You’re very lucky you didn’t do yourself more harm.  I’m Nurse Stralla, and I’ll be looking after you.”

“And where is ‘here’, Nurse Stralla?” Jothan asked. 

“You’re on Mars Base Delta.  We’re going to be taking care of you until you’re well.”

“Did the Doctor bring me here?  If so, why?”

Nurse Stralla said gently, “I’m sorry, I don’t know who you mean.  You were brought here from Outpost 17 like I said, and this ‘Doctor’ fellow doesn’t exist.” 

  Jothan sat up, ready to argue, but barely had the strength to move.  Nurse Stralla pushed him back down quickly.  “You’ll need to rest for now.  We can talk later.”

“There’s no way I did what you said.  There has to be some other explanation,” Jothan protested.  “When did this ‘alleged’ suicide attempt take place?”

Nurse Stralla thought for a bit, and then said, “Six Time-Parts ago.  You were quite despondent over your crewmate’s death . . . Kemwa?  Was that his name?”

Jothan gritted his teeth a bit.  “Yes, he was a crewmate, and yes, he died, but . . .”

“You all were asked to step down, return to Earth.  You refused and when they tried to escort you off the base, you turned a weapon on yourself.  They did what they could for you, then brought you here in a hurry.  Do you remember any of this?”

Jothan thought, and then responded, “No, I don’t.  But I wouldn’t have shot myself over Kemwa.  That just isn’t . . .”

“I’m sure it wasn’t just that,” Nurse Stralla broke in.  “But like I said, we can discuss it another time.  For now, why don’t you sleep a bit?”

The woman had a hypospray in her hand.  Jothan figured he didn’t have much of a choice . . .

********  
Jothan was a bit disappointed in Mars Base Delta once he was allowed to walk around.  He found the area he was in to be quite small, and boring.  It consisted of a nurses’ station, an exam/treatment room, two communal bathrooms, four separate sleeping areas, and two common rooms.  There were no windows, and apart from talking with Nurse Stralla or playing chess, there was nothing to do.  Jothan was surprised.  

“Why so few patients, and so little to do?” he asked his personal nurse — at least, she seemed to have no one else to care for.

Nurse Stralla replied, “This is a very select, very exclusive program.  And as far as entertainment goes, that’s not why you’re here.  We want you to focus on getting well.”

Jothan tried to joke a bit.  “I guess I should be thankful I’m in the Pecan Palace rather than the regular ‘nut house’, I suppose.”

Nurse Stralla told him, “You’re lucky you’re anywhere, actually.”

Jothan knew better than to argue.  Any time he attempted to discuss the Doctor or what had brought him to the base with the nurse, out came the hypospray, and he had a little ‘rest’.  

“The doctor on staff will talk with you later,” she would tell him.  Jothan got tired of the evasiveness, and of the drugs, so he learned to keep quiet.  But he still looked around, and tried to think things through in his head.  The last thing he remembered was being in the TARDIS with the Doctor, but he couldn’t remember exactly what had been going on.  The last clear memory he had was being in a cell with the Edri, but he didn’t dare discuss that with his nurse, either.  He wasn’t even sure how many days had passed.  Of one thing he was certain: the Doctor was real; he still had the TARDIS key around his neck.  Why they let him keep it he wasn’t sure, but they had.  

There was only one other patient in the facility.  Jothan felt quite sorry for him.  Nurse Stralla had told him the man thought he was an egg, and had tried to poach himself in scalding water.  Jothan could see some of the burn marks.  He had tried to talk with the man, but the man had started screaming, “Not scrambled!  Not scrambled!” and had run away from the medic.  

Jothan found himself rather isolated, except for his nurse.  He liked her, but still missed the Doctor.  Always, no matter what was happening, his mind circled back again and again to the Doctor.  If only he could remember what had happened, he might have a clue as to where the Time Lord had gone and why he wasn’t here.  Try as he might, the medic couldn’t remember anything but the Doctor’s promise:  “As soon as I can I’ll come for you and we’ll leave — the two of us.”

********  
The Doctor paced, or limped, around the Console Room, until he reminded himself sternly that walking would be the last thing to help his leg heal.  He picked up the Rubik’s cube and fiddled with it a bit, then dropped it on his jacket.  He hated sitting there, hated to be forced into inactivity when he knew Jothan was out there somewhere, maybe still in need of help.  But all the Time Lord could do was wait, at least for the moment.

********  
Finally, Jothan got a chance to talk to the psychiatrist.  He wasn’t sure when he would see the doctor again, so he decided to make it worth his while.  H talked for a long time, pacing up and down while he spoke.  The man took a few notes, but otherwise was silent.  At last, Jothan ran down like an ancient watch, and the psychiatrist stood up.

“You’re not leaving?” Jothan was astonished.  “You didn’t say a thing!”

“Jothan, anything I might say would be no good now.  You are still highly delusional, and really I’m not sure anything I will say will make much difference.  Don’t worry, I’ll be back to see you next Time-Part, and we’ll see if you’re doing any better then.”  The man left Jothan, and the medic was fuming, though silent.  He didn’t try scanning the psychiatrist’s emotions; his powers would be affected too much by the drugs they were giving him, he knew.  He sighed, and left the exam room to find Nurse Stralla.  Once he found her, he minced no words.  “You people aren’t helping me, and that doctor is worse than useless.  I want out!”

“Jothan, it’s just not possible, or safe.  You need to be patient, and . . .”

“Patient?” Jothan spat.  “I’m up to my eyeballs in sitting around, and you tell me I need to be patient!  I may as well be a prisoner, for all I’m able to do here.”

Reluctantly, Nurse Stralla stepped up to Jothan and injected him with a sleeping cocktail.  She sighed as the orderlies carried Jothan back to his room and locked the door.  All at once, the whole atmosphere changed.  A wall slid back on one side of the common room to reveal cameras, monitoring equipment, and an army of doctors, military personnel, and scientists working away.  The other ‘patient’ passed by her to put his military uniform back on, while the nurse walked up to a general.

“He’s right, you know,” Nurse Stralla told the general.  “We _have_ made him a prisoner.”

“Nurse Stralla, you know how important this project is.  This individual shows absolutely no signs of The Fading, and we need to know why.”

“Still, all the restriction, all the lies — we could end up making him insane if we don’t take care, and we can’t keep him drugged forever.  These medications aren’t designed for it, and they have bad side effects.  Also, we can’t Mind-Scan him again.”

“Nurse, are you asking to be reassigned?”

“No Sir.  I just . . .”

“Then we need you to do your job.  Keep the subject as calm as you can, bond with him, and let us worry about the ethics of the situation.”

She nodded and turned away, but her heart felt heavy.

********  
After more than 72 hours of waiting, the Doctor could stand the situation no longer.  His leg was basically healed, and he wasn’t waiting another second to look for Jothan.  He was regretting having left his friend at all; he could have come up with something, he was sure.  He put the unsolved Rubik’s Cube in his pocket, grabbed the homing finder, and stepped out of the TARDIS.  He was surprised to find the signal quite strong, and followed it to where the alley met the street.  As he went to step out into the street, he kicked something with his foot.  He bent down, and found Jothan’s IPod where it had fallen in the snow.  His hearts sank straight into his feet as he picked it up, realizing that he would have to search the entire planet to find his friend . . . and he had no idea where to start.

As he crouched in the alley, someone asked, “Sir, are you in need of help?”

He looked up to see a man of middle years addressing him politely.  The Doctor told the man, “I just dropped this.  I’m quite attached to it, actually.  

“Is it damaged?  I’m not bad with electronic devices.  I might be able to fix it.” 

The Doctor plastered on a smile.  “No need, thanks.  It will need a drying out, that’s all.”  A sudden thought occurred to him, and he asked, “Are you from here?”

“Yes,” then unknown man answered.  “In fact, I’ve lived here most of my life.”  The man stuck out a hand.  “I’m Devoba.  And you, sir?”

The Doctor didn’t want to take the man’s hand, but could see no way to avoid it.  “I’m the Doctor,” he said as the man helped him to his feet.

“Pleased to meet you,” Devoba answered.  “And so sorry to sense that you’ve Faded completely away.  Such a shame.”

The Doctor started.  “Faded?”

“Faded, Doctor.  Telepathic powers sucked right out of you.  I myself have very little left, but such is life.”

Mentally the Doctor was cursing himself in every language he could think of.  He could have gone with Jothan after all, and no one would have questioned a thing!  He realized the man had spoken and said, “Sorry?”

“I was just wondering if you needed some medical attention, not that Fading can be treated.  You seem to have some serious amnesia, Doctor.”

“Perhaps that’s not a bad idea.  Where is the nearest hospital?”  

Devoba answered, “The nearest medical facility is half a mile away.  I can show you.”

“Are there any others nearby?  I’m looking for my friend.  He would have been here a few days ago, and he was in need of medical care.”

“If your friend was hurt, they would have taken him to where we’re going,” Devoba replied.

The Doctor said, “You’re coming along?” 

“I would scarcely abandon one such as yourself to the elements.  Here you are, strange clothes, little memory, no powers . . . anything could happen.”

“Thank you,” the Doctor told him.  “I’m a bit lost without . . . without my friend.”

“Ah, he is your Caretaker.  That’s good news, and it explains a lot.  Now, can you remember his name, or what he looks like?”

“His name is Jothan.  He’s about your height, with long black hair, a wonderful smile, and green eyes.  He’s a medic, but he got hurt, and now I can’t find him.  I promised him I’d find him.”

The man patted the Doctor’s hand.  “We shall find your Caretaker, Doctor.  Have no fear of that.”

As they walked, the Doctor decided to try and get some information from his guide.  “So when did the Fading start?” he asked.

“The first reports started twenty-five years ago.  After that, it just became more and more widespread.  Now, the whole planet’s affected.  Some people have no power left at all, and no memory, like you.  Others are affected a bit less seriously, like myself.  That’s one reason why you have a Caretaker — someone to look after you.  The memory is affected worse or less badly depending on the case, but the loss of telepathic and empathic powers is universal.”

Again the Doctor cursed himself in his head.  He never should have left Jothan on this planet, not for a second.  They would probably be suspicious when they found the medic’s telepathic powers to be in perfectly working order, if they had any left themselves . . .

********  
Jothan got another chance to speak with the psychiatrist.  Again, he seemed to talk forever, without getting a word out of the doctor.  Finally, he stopped, and asked the other man angrily, “Well?  Are you going to say something this time?”

“Jothan, your situation is easily explained.  I wonder if you’ll believe me.”

“I’m willing to hear _anything_ at this point.  What’s your assessment of my condition?”

“Jothan, you found yourself in an . . . uncomfortable situation on Outpost 17 when Kemwa died, similar to what happened on Titan.  You had a patient die, and you don’t deal well with that.  In an attempt to protect yourself from that truth, your mind came up with an alternative — the Doctor.  Here was someone who would take you to a place where you didn’t have to feel guilt over the deaths of others.  The problem is, you weren’t responsible for the deaths of those on Titan or Kemwa’s demise.  You just _feel_ you’re responsible, thus the guilt, and thus the need to replace true reality with your own.  Also, your reality with the Doctor allowed you to feel important, needed by someone in a way you could relate to, rather than the true importance you have as a medic.”

Jothan stood and spat bitterly, “That’s a bunch of garbage.  I’m perfectly comfortable with my importance to society at large, and I accept the fact that patients will die.  Besides, it doesn’t explain why you’re keeping me a prisoner here.”

“The truth is,” the psychiatrist went on, “you’ve been highly delusional about this ‘Doctor’ fellow, and quite unstable.  We plan on keeping you until you are able to accept what’s truly real.  Once you reach that stage, you’ll have less restriction, but while you’re still determined that the ‘Doctor’ is real, we have no choice but to keep you sequestered from others.  Encouraging unreality damages others’ ability to get well, as you know.  We’ll find some things to keep you amused while you’re recovering . . . perhaps some sketchpads or other art supplies.  Art can be good therapy.”

As the doctor turned to go, Jothan cried, “You people can’t keep me here without my consent forever!  I want to speak to my Patient Advocate — or legal counsel . . . someone outside the establishment who will fight for my rights, and I want them now!  Besides, I can _prove_ the Doctor is real — I still have a key to the TARDIS!”  He held out the key for the psychiatrist to look at, who took it away from the medic.  The gesture enraged Jothan, who was already quite on edge.

“Let me out!” the young man yelled.  “You have no right to lock me up here.  The Doctor will come for me, and nothing will make me stay once he arrives!”  He grabbed the psychiatrist by the lapels, but the man called out for the orderlies, who pulled Jothan back down the hall to his room.  He refused to cooperate, and started fighting back.  The psychiatrist called for Nurse Stralla and went back to the main laboratory. 

********  
The Doctor and Devoba were at the medical center in no time.  The receptionist looked up and said, “Devoba!  How good to see you again, sir.  What can we do for you?”

Devoba answered, “I have a man here who seems to be suffering from significant Fading.  He calls himself the ‘Doctor’, and he seems to have lost his Caretaker, a young man named Jothan.  Can you be of any assistance to us?”

The receptionist looked up at the Doctor and said gently, “Do you remember what your Caretaker looks like?”

The Doctor was a bit perturbed at first by the receptionist’s paternal tone, but figured he should say as little as possible about the truth of his condition, at least for the present.  He would also be more able to wander off and look for Jothan himself if they thought he had no memory.  

“Jothan’s about this chap’s height,” he pointed to Devoba.  “Thin, with black hair and green eyes.  He’s a doctor/medic, and he would have come in some time recently.”

The receptionist was looking at a computer screen.  “Sorry, no one like that has come in within the last week.  Are you sure he would have come here?”

“He was hurt,” the Doctor told the man. 

Devoba spoke up.  “I knew that the only place a hurt man could get help in this town was either here at the center or at the Institute, and that seemed quite unlikely.”

“What is the Institute?” the Doctor asked.  He tried to avoid the pitying looks the receptionist and Devoba gave him.

Devoba muttered to the receptionist, “You see what I mean?” then responded, “The Institute studies the Fading.  They’re trying to see what causes it, and how to cure it.  They’ve been around, what, five years?”

“Five or six,” the receptionist agreed.  “Now, let’s get you in a room, Doctor.  You’ll be seen shortly.  And Devoba, thanks for bringing him in.  We’ll do what we can for him.”

The Doctor was put in an exam room by himself.  He waited for a bit, and then reached into his pocket for the Rubik’s Cube to pass the time.  Instead of the puzzle however, he pulled out his TARDIS key.  Suddenly, the Doctor had a flash of inspiration.  He slipped out of the room, used his sonic screwdriver to open a fire exit, then pelted back to the TARDIS as fast as he could.

********  
The emergency meeting was still being held in the main laboratory, with no consensus reached on how to proceed.  Several courses of action had been proposed but the general in charge refused to put a plan in place without Nurse Stralla’s input, and she was urgently needed on the medical wing with the subject.  He had apparently suffered a memory breakthrough and needed extra sedation.  Everyone was nervous and tempers were short.  That all changed when a wheezing, whining noise began, and there was a rush of wind through the room.  All conversation stopped and no one moved as a blue box appeared in front of them.  A door on one side of the box opened, and an angry man with large ears marched out with some strange implement in his hand.  He saw the key the psychiatrist had taken from the subject sitting on a counter and snatched it up, asking “What have you done with Jothan?”

“You’re an alien!  You must be that ‘Doctor’ person the subject refers to.” 

The man seemed to be angrier after the scientist’s comment.  “Your _subject_ has a name — Jothan.  You are holding him without his consent and/or knowledge, which constitutes kidnapping.  I promised I would come back for him, and that’s why I’m here.  Now where is he and what have you done to him?”

The alien was looking around the room at the equipment.  He stopped at the Mind Scanner, which was positioned with its back to a large window.  “And what is this?” he questioned, his blue eyes blazing.  “Did you butchers build this?”

The lead psychiatrist said, “It’s only a Mind Scanner — it’s standard equipment in any medical facility.”

If the man had been angry before he was absolutely furious now.  He spun around to face those in attendance and growled, “And how many times have you used this abomination on my friend?”

The lead psychiatrist tried again.  “All it does is give us a map of . . .”

“HOW MANY TIMES?”

“Only the once, right at first,” one of the junior scientists squeaked.  “He cried, said it hurt, so we didn’t use it any more.”

“I’ll bet it hurt him,” the stranger spat.  “Do you idiots even know how this thing works?  Oh yes, it’ll supply a detailed mind-map of a subject, give you their life-history and emotional state — but it also burns out the telepathic neurons.  With cumulative use, the damage is rendered permanent.”

Through the noisy gasps of others, the junior scientist asked timidly, “So in effect, the scanner destroys the person’s telepathic ability?”

“That’s right,” the alien answered grimly.  “It also causes varying amounts of memory loss.”

“The Fading!” someone whispered.  “We’ve been causing The Fading, not some retro-virus or unknown disease.  We’ve done it ourselves!”

The stranger went on, “Where I come from, these are called ‘Mind Burners’, and they’re a device specifically prohibited by the Shadow Proclamation.”

“We’ve used then regularly for the last thirty years!  Everyone’s scanned at birth, upon entering school, for job interviews . . .”

“Then you’ve been ruining the population’s telepathy a bit at a time as well.  But that’s not why I’m here.  I want Jothan, now.”

“Isn’t there anything that can be done for us?” someone whined.

“I’m not here to help you lot,” the strange man hissed.  “I’m here for my friend and you’re standing between us, which is not a safe position to be in.  I’ll only ask _one_ more time:  WHERE is Jothan?” 

The junior scientist spoke up.  “I’ll take you to the medical wing; he’s been there since he arrived.  Just don’t . . . vaporize any of us.”

The alien said, “Afraid of this?  It’s just a sonic screwdriver; it can’t hurt a fly.  On a Mind Burner however . . .”   He walked over to the device, and used the screwdriver to turn it into useless slag.  He turned back around and said, “Now show me where you’re keeping my friend.”

********  
Nurse Stralla tried to keep her emotions in check as the orderlies put Jothan in soft restraints and locked him to the bed.  He kept fighting and managed to bite someone, but soon the drugs took effect and he could no longer move.  The nurse in her came to the fore, and she tried to soothe her patient.  “Be still now,” she told him.  “You take a little rest, and you’ll feel all better when you wake up.”

“It wasn’t a dream.  I keep telling you . . . the Doctor . . .”

“Later,” Nurse Stralla crooned.  “We’ll talk about it later.”  She bent over Jothan’s face impulsively and kissed him on the mouth just as two people entered the room.  One was a junior scientist on the case, but she had never seen the other before.  He was wearing a black leather jacket and a grim expression which darkened when he saw the restraints.  

“Unlock those,” the stranger told her rudely.

“He’s just been sedated,” the woman stated, motioning for the orderlies to keep back.  “I can unlock him, but he won’t wake for hours.  I assume you’re the Doctor?”

“That’s right.  What did you monsters give him?”

Nurse Stralla was hurt.  “We aren’t monsters; we healed his injuries and kept him safe here.”

“Kept him a prisoner seems closer to the truth.  Well, you know what you gave him . . . find the drugs to reverse it,” the man demanded.

The junior scientist spoke.  “This alien solved our problem:  the Mind Scanner itself causes The Fading.  The subject is his friend, and he won’t leave without him.  And trust me nurse, we _really_ want the alien to leave.”

Nurse Stralla handed the Doctor her keys, and watched for a moment as he tenderly released Jothan from his bonds.  

Jothan opened his eyes blearily and croaked, “I kept telling them you were real and not a dream.”

“You’re right,” the Doctor said gently.  “I’m not a dream, and I came for you just like I promised.”  He looked around and saw Nurse Stralla still there.  He said in a terrible voice, “If I have to start giving him different drugs to fix what you’ve done I will, but no-one will be happy with the results.”

“Just do as he says!” the junior scientist begged.  “The sooner you do, the sooner he’s gone!”

Nurse Stralla left the room as the Doctor finished with the restraints.  The junior scientist whimpered, “You won’t destroy our planet, will you?”

“Would you, if our positions were reversed?”

She was still a moment and then whispered, “I might.  I . . . I just might.”

“Then you can rest secure in the knowledge that I’m better than you lot.” 

Nurse Stralla returned with a hypospray.  “This will take effect in five minutes or so; it’s the best I can do, I’m afraid.”  She was silent then said in a rush, “I’m sorry you think we’re monsters.  We weren’t trying to be.”

The Doctor had scooped Jothan up in his arms after he administered the drug.  “Most monsters aren’t trying,” he replied acidly, then swept out of the room. 

********  
“How did you find me again?” Jothan asked the Doctor.

“I had the TARDIS home in on your key’s molecular signature.  I was a bit off, but I kept my promise.  Sorry it took so long — I forgot that you had the extra TARDIS key. ”

“The scientists all looked terrified of you.  I wonder why?” the medic remarked.

“In some parts of the galaxy, to those who deserve it, I’m known as ‘The Oncoming Storm’.  I guess that’s what they saw.” 

“So you think they deserved it?  They were just trying to survive.”

The Doctor’s voice was strained.  “Those people kidnapped you, drugged you, and chained you up.  They used a Mind-Burner on you.  That one woman . . . she kissed you — and all without a _thought_ of asking you for anything.  They were just taking and stealing whatever they could.”  

“If they had asked, would you . . . you would have helped them?”

The Time Lord sighed.  “Yes, I would have — _if_ they had asked.” 

“Good enough.”  Jothan was silent a moment then said, “It really bothered you, didn’t it — the kiss, I mean.”

“Yes.”

The young man’s voice sounded amused as he asked, “They were doing all sorts of horrible things to me and you’re hung up on _that_?”

“Yes.”  The Doctor wouldn’t take his eyes off the console where he was working.  “She had no right.”

“What are you working on over there?”  Jothan was curious.

“Hang on a moment and you’ll see,” the Doctor replied.  “Or hear, actually.”

In a bit, the strains of a song from Jothan’s IPod filled the Console Room.  The song was “Iris”, by a group named the Goo Goo Dolls.  The Doctor held out his hand and asked, “May I have this dance?”

The IPod played:

_“And I’d give up forever to touch you_  
‘Cause I know that you feel me somehow  
You’re the closest to Heaven that I’ll ever be  
And I don’t want to go home right now . . . 

The music floated through the TARDIS as Jothan danced with the Doctor.

_And you can’t fight the tears that ain’t coming_  
Or the moment of truth in your lies  
When everything feels like the movies  
Yeah, you bleed just to know you’re alive  
And I don’t want the world to see me  
‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand  
When everything’s made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am 

Neither was sure who started the kiss, but once it started neither wanted it to end.

One kiss melded into another, and another. The Doctor moaned slightly as Jothan ran a finger over one of his ears. He responded by sliding a hand under the younger man's shirt and toying with a nipple. He kissed the medic's throat where the pulse beat, first gently then with more passion as Jothan continued to finger the Doctor's sensitive ears.

Finally Jothan gasped, “This isn't the place. There's nowhere to be . . . together.”

The Doctor didn't want to stop, but knew Jothan was right. “Your room?” he asked huskily.

“No, that isn't right, either,” Jothan responded. “The Zero Room. That's where we should Join for our . . . first time.”

“Why there?” the Doctor wanted to know.

“I don't want there to be anything involved in our Joining but us . . . not even gravity. Just you, and just me.”

The Doctor said, “You keep saying we'll be Joining. What exactly is that?”

“We will share completely. Bodies, minds . . . everything.”

The Doctor gave Jothan one last, long kiss on the throat, then took him by the wrist and led him into the interior of the TARDIS.

********  Story to follow:  The Challenge ********


End file.
